wfn.org | [WARC] Stand firm on women's rights, churches urged

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

World Alliance of Reformed Churches
News Release
150 Route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
 Tel. +41.22 791 6243; Fax: +41.22 791 6505; Email: jas@warc.ch

Stand firm on women's rights, churches urged

Patricia Sherattan-Bisnauth of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches 
(WARC) joined the World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation at the United 
Nations in New York this week in calling on churches worldwide to stand 
firm on women's rights.

In reviewing the work of the Fourth World Conference on Women at Bejing a 
decade ago, the delegation says that while much progress has been made 
there is still a long way to go on women's rights.

Sherattan-Bisnauth of Guyana is executive secretary for the department of 
partnership of women and men of the Alliance and a member of the ecumenical 
women's network. She joined Suzanne Matale of Zambia and Alina Saucedo 
Paucara of Bolivia and Carolin Callenius of Germany on the WCC delegation.

"Churches must stand firm with women and advocate for women's human rights 
in all areas of  life. They should represent the voices and concerns of 
their communities by calling on governments to be accountable to their 
commitments to the Bejing Platform for Action.

"In particular churches are called upon to be more outspoken on gender 
based violence, economic justice, HIV/AIDS, war and conflicts," the WCC 
delegation said.

"Violence is the most widespread and persistent human rights violation. The 
churches have to play a vital role in healing and in reconciliation. 
Additionally they are encouraged to be more proactive in assessing their 
own structures and in condemning openly all forms of gender based violence, 
including domestic and sexual violence, structural violence and all forms 
of traditional violence.

"Churches are called upon to make violence against women a priority," the 
delegation added.

They said that the growing poverty among women is another important area of 
critical concern for churches. "We call upon the churches to analyse 
thoroughly the root causes of economic injustice with a gender perspective 
and to highlight the plight of women who bear the brunt of the burden of 
poverty."

The delegation said the trafficking in women and children for sexual 
exploitation is one of the burning new issues to be dealt with. "Churches 
can use their worldwide structures and networks and their significant roles 
in communities to take strong action, to lobby for legislation, policies, 
institutional mechanisms, education and awareness."

The delegation concluded: "In this time of heightened insecurity of war and 
conflicts, rape and sexual violence has increasingly become a tactic of 
war. Women are especially vulnerable as their bodies become a means for 
demoralizing and destroying women, their families and communities.

"Acknowledging that churches have valuable experience in conflict 
management and peace building, we call to their attention the need to 
include gender perspective in shaping and implementing policies and
programmes.

"Let us pray for healing and transformation where women and men can live in 
true partnership with mutual respect and love."

The delegation's statement was released on World Day of Prayer and in 
anticipation of Women's Day.

John P. Asling
Executive Secretary, Communications
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
web: www.warc.ch